CXYYZ

In theory, you aren’t supposed to leave home before you have a negative RAT result. The exact wording from one of the many many pages you get during the arrivals process (during 3+4) is:

”During the four-day medical surveillance period, inbound persons from overseas places or Taiwan can go out after obtaining negative results of RATs daily, but they will be subject to Amber Code restrictions under the Vaccine Pass.”

Is the timing of a RAT within a day legally enforceable? I have no clue. But this is certainly the “logic,” even for PCR test days.

CXYYZ

Not entirely sure what you mean here but if you test positive on RAT and report this to the government, your isolation order means you don’t do further PCR tests. This is somewhat similar to what moondog mentioned.

Nicc HK

Perhaps the logic is:

1. RAT is not as accurate as PCR
2. If by taking the RAT which shows positive then no point in going out to the Community Centre to take the PCR test. If negative then PCR gives a more accurate test result.
3. By not going out if positive one does not pass on the virus to others when going to the Community Centre..
4. If postive take RAT tests until obtaining a negative result then go take the PCR test.

Point 4 would agree with CXYYZ, though I did not look for the official documentation that states this.

moondog

Our RATs here are self-reported, though some PCR places require you to throw a used test into a trash can as a condition for entry (kind of pointless exercise because they don't even have names on them, and would be easy to use someone else's). The bottom line is that nobody in their right mind would submit to a PCR test if the result was likely to be positive. If you actually get sick, go to a hospital or clinic that you like (tbh, I'm not sure how this actually works, but I've assumed it's possible to avoid those centralized quarantine facilities). PCR tests were only absolutely required for us during t the first two weeks of our lockdown. Then workers at the testing places started getting sick, and the policy was promptly revised. The current main purpose of (non-quarantine) PCR tests for us is to gain access to pretty much all businesses and transportation. The standard is 72 hours for most venues, and 48 hours for places like airports, train stations, and some government offices. There is one restaurant I go to that has a 48-hour rule, and they are quite strict about it. They claim the Jing'an government specifically targeted them. That seems implausible to me, but who am I too judge? Oh, our subways also had a 48-hour policy in June, and the enforcers were extremely unreasonable. Remember, the clock starts ticking at test time, not when you get the results ~8 hours later, so 48-hours is effective only 40 hours.

Dave510

I would ask what the scientific purpose for both RAT and PCR on the same day is, but I suppose this is a question beyond the purview of science.

carrotjuice

Thanks, this makes better sense now. For a non HK resident who's unfamiliar with the testing quicks of the territory, the SCMP article didn't make clear that:
- RAT is required before you leave the home for PCR.
- If RAT is positive on days 2, 4, 6, then the PCR requirement no longer applies.

moondog

PCR tests require at least some contact with another person.

littlevoices

The reason for the RAT is likely that Community testing centres do make it clear that they are not suitable if you already have COVID symptoms, they are designed for "early detection" in the government's words. I presume the government hopes, on the "rare" occasion that it happens, that you'd do a RAT, get a positive result, then self-isolate yourself immediately for 7 days (whilst also remembering to inform the government via the website to get your personalised isolation order), and separately telling them so they don't fine you HKD10k for not taking the PCR test... The PCR test is presumably to add some level of honesty to the system and allow the monitoring of variants.
I can't imagine the 0+3 will last long, we can hope that they remove it in one month based on "the science" (aka the world hasn't ended) and just before the HK7s /Finance conference (though any international visitors keen for these experiences will have just arrived a few days early).

carrotjuice

Indeed... imagine the banking CEOs and senior management coming for the Finance Conference, have to confine themselves to room service for the first 3 days or dinners in meeting rooms, instead of dining out with local colleagues at restaurants!

Pokoman

Is the minimun stay now in Hong Kong 3 days? One can not go for 1 day bizz visit and return back, but need to stay three nights?

littlevoices

Nope, you can leave "immediately" as long as you're negative, you just need to let the government know: There are instructions on the online forms and a number to call if you leave early. Do make sure you do that as otherwise you may find you get issued a 10k HKD fine for not taking the scheduled PCR tests, not entirely sure if they'd catch you the next time you visit, but not worth the hassle.

Of course I'd still advise against coming to HK for one or two days: Consider is it really worth it, as there is still the risk of a quarantine order if you test positive on a PCR - and there is no leaving during that isolation period (minimum 7 days). Whereas someone from HK that you really want to see you now easily leave and meet you somewhere more open (anywhere else in the world except China?). If you want to do Outside world -> HK -> Mainland China, then that is a fairly tried and tested route, as long as you can get a quarantine hotel and bus arranged, which I understand is hard. There is also the reverse quarantine to help and I guess you can enter that immediately.

tfung

RAT test results are nearly immediate, whereas PCR test takes at least half a day or longer, usually even overnight for results.. So by the time you get the results for the PCR test, you would have already spent the entire day out and about already..

Nicc HK

Fortunately that is not the case. On arrival at HKG two weeks ago I was PCR tested and it was ready by the time I got to clear customs. Roughly 30 minutes.

Current procedure is to meet in the arrivals corridor, get tested, then go through immigration and then just before clearing customs, and after baggage, one is scanned. Once the PCR test is confirmed negative then go through customs and to the quarantine hotel drill. If the PCR test is not ready then have to wait in baggage claim until it is. There are duty officers which scan the yellow/green tag that know the test findings who control access. Took me about 30 minutes.

Equally in London Randox comes back in about 1 hour with the result.

The reason the PCR tests locally are so long is simply paperwork and process.

sxc

I thought it was RAT and PCR at the airport now and you didn’t have to wait for the PCR results?

moondog

Even when the lab is on site (like at major airports that do arrival testing), the fastest I've heard of is 30 minutes.